A very unique thing will happen the weekend of April 30, the same weekend in which Washington Harbor District Alliance’s Marine Market is scheduled.

A labor of love for a few local residents, and a strong show of support from the community, has resulted in the Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum, making it the first of its kind in the area.

In July 2015, Washington City Council gave the green light to Leesa Jones and Rebecca Clark, with the help of Jones’ husband, Milton, to restore and use the Atlantic Coastline caboose downtown.

Much can be said about this project: the caboose has been restored to house a museum that highlights African American history in the area and the road from slavery to freedom, with limited funding for the project — funding came from several organizations such as the Washington Harbor District Alliance, the parent organization through which this project is being done, Washington (noon) Rotary, Tayloe’s Hospital Pharmacy, as well as area schools, businesses and community members.

Thanks to six years of research by Leesa Jones, the site has been added to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom registry, making it a landmark site of the National Park Service. Jones did this research in various universities, colleges and libraries in the state, including Brown Library and the BHM system.

This project, and the history it represents, is a part of Washington’s heritage. It is essential to pass this history down to generations to come, for people to know, in its true form, the stories of the people that shaped this period of history.

The museum is free to the public and will be open from 10 a.m. until the closing of the Marine Market, the weekend of April 30. The Joneses and Clark have restored the caboose with displays of newspaper articles, pictures and other items to illustrate this piece of Washington history.

Presentations by Jones and Clark will be highlights of the museum, as well as reenactments from volunteers. Starting in May, the museum will be open Thursdays through Fridays, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays, from 2-5 p.m.

The project is one to be proud of if you’re a Washingtonian. It signifies a history that must be passed on, and through the museum, it will be.